Articles
Thankful For What We Have
When I was a boy and we happened to be having a meal I wasn't particularly fond of, I am sure I made some sort of grimace upon seeing it set on the table, and another grimace as it was passed to me to take some and put on my plate. I may have even stated out loud that I either didn't like it, or it wasn't exactly my favorite. My mother, though, reminded me there were starving people in China or India or some other remote location, and that I should be thankful for what I had.
I am also sure that, as a boy, whenever I heard that, I was wondering what that had to do with the food set in front of me. I may not have known exactly where China or India was, but I was thinking then that if I sent that food to them, it would be spoiled by the time it got there. Besides, I thought to myself, they probably wouldn't like it, either. [Yes, I missed the point altogether.]
I also remember as a somewhat older boy [and even as a young man] being told that other people had it rougher than I did and, again, wondering what that had to do with me and my current unpleasant situation, and why that should make me feel better. [Yes, I missed the point again.]
It took awhile, but it finally sunk in that what others were trying to tell me is that I should be thankful for what I have, because many people in other places didn't have it nearly as good as I did — even when I thought I was miserable. I eventually learned that life wasn't nearly as bad as what I sometimes perceived it to be, and that I should be thankful for what I had.
This is a lesson best learned at a young age, and one that should never be forgotten, but I have had some trying moments where I have forgotten I didn't really have it so bad. My recent trip across the Great Plains didn't always result in things turning out as I had anticipated, and it was very tempting sometimes to register my complaints about poor service, poor choices for dining, lukewarm food or drink, or less-than-accommodating accommodations. I had to remind myself every once in awhile that I was living in a place where I could travel freely, that I had the means to travel and simply enjoy the scenery and entertainment, and that I had a place to sleep each night and meal anytime I wanted. As I am wrapping up the trip, I am indeed thankful for many things and I hope that is never forgotten.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I also know it is easy to fall into the habit of complaining about things just as easily. Now, the reasons for our potential complaints may be different, but I know there is no shortage of complaints others could make or have made. We sometimes forget that things aren't nearly as bad as what we might seem to think and, in reality, we have it quite well.
When we forget the many things for which we should be thankful and, unfortunately, when we start thinking selfishly, we do complain! We might complain about the seats or pews being too hard, the song leader being too slow, the preacher preaching too long, the brethren not giving us attention when we think they should, so-and-so not inviting us into his or her home, the church building being too hot or too cold, and so on and so on.
If we really start thinking about self, we might even start complaining about life itself! We might even complain about how hard it is to live the life disciples are expected to live, and how we don't get to 'have the fun others are having.' We might start thinking of the disciple's life as one of only restrictions and 'thou shalt not' and all the things we can't do, and start feeling deprived of happiness and enjoyment. The thing is, the more we think about the things for which we think we have a right to complain, the less we remember how blessed we truly are. When we are most likely to complain is the perfect time to stop and count our blessings — and be thankful. Let's take a few minutes and be reminded of how blessed we are, as God's people.
Let's start at the top and be reminded about the blessings of having God as our God. This is the God who “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), who “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3, 4), and who “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” when we confess and repent of those sins (1 John 1:9), and He “is love” (1 John 4:8)! With all this being true, I believe it is perfectly reasonable to be thankful, and realize we have no reason for complaint.
And what about Jesus? Well, Jesus, “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9), and He “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). He willingly laid down His life (John 10:17, 18), and He did it because “loved us” (Eph. 5:2). But He didn't stop there! Right now, Jesus “is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25), and it is Jesus “who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34). When we sin, as disciples, we can rest assured “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1, 2). Even when we His disciples sin, He will speak to God on our behalf! Surely, we can see we have many things for which we should be thankful, and that we really having nothing to complain about!
And what about our fellow disciples? While it may be a little harder to not complain about one another, or to find reasons to be thankful, I believe God planned things as He did that we might have plenty of reasons to be thankful in one another. As disciples, we have brethren who “should have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:25), who “love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Pet. 1:22), and brothers who “look out not only for [their] own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). In brethren we have those who “exhort one another” (Heb. 3:13), pray for one another (Jas. 5:13-16), and reach out to bring back those who have strayed (Gal. 6:1; Jas. 5:19, 20) because they care for our souls. While there are many in the world who are alone and sorrow as ones without hope, we who are fellow believers should be thankful we have one another!
Within the Lord's church, we have elders who “watch out for your souls” (Heb. 13:17), deacons ready to serve, and teachers and preachers who seek to give us a complete and better understanding of God's will (Eph. 4:11ff). Of all people in the world, brethren should realize they are truly blessed to have a network of fellow believers who will stand with us, who will love us enough to correct us, and love us enough to lift us up when we fall. Of all people in the world, we should recognize we have many reasons to be thankful for what we have, and just as thankful for what we do not have.
Finally, let us be thankful for the promise we now have, and which we will receive one day: eternal life (1 John 2:25). What we have is hope. —— Steven Harper
